The Silver Lining
by Zeroark
Summary: A near catostrophic experience brings 2 people together. AS Please Read and Review!


**The Silver Lining**

When the worst possible scenario arises, a certain redhead finds herself saved by an unlikely hero. SA

Asuka was mad. No she was more than mad, she was furious. Pathetic, weak Shinji Ikari had surpassed her, the Great Asuka Langley Sohryu. Of all the things Asuka hated she hated being second best. 'How could that idiot baka possibly get a better sync score than ME!' she thought to herself.

Shinji nervously glanced over at the enraged Asuka. He knew she was pissed because of her coming second to him and he hated it. 'I don't give a damn about being better than Asuka, I just want her to like me' the quiet pilot thought to himself. Although no one knew it, Shinji had developed a crush on the fiery German girl. He hadn't even told Toji or Kensuke, his best friends, about his crush on the girl they labeled the Red-Devil.

The two pilots silently followed Misato, there guardian and NERV operations director. It was obvious to her that Asuka was less than happy with the results, but what surprised her was that Shinji seemed down about it. 'I wonder could he possibly…nah' she thought. 'There's no way he call fall for Asuka with the way she treats him…right?' They quickly reached the car and were home in record time, thanks to Misato's…unusual driving habits.

Asuka quickly stormed to her room and slammed the door, indicating her desire to be alone.

"Great", Shinji mumbled to himself, "just when we were starting to get along."

Misato heard this and decided she needed to have a talk with him later.

Two hours later

Shinji had finished cooking dinner and the three were preparing to eat.

As they quietly ate dinner Misato desperately tried to think of an ice-breaker for the near visible tension. "Sooo", she started, "this is quite a dinner Shinji cooked up."

"It's nothing Misato", Shinji replied, "I just decided to try something new."

"Don't be so modest", Asuka snapped, "it's one of the few things you can actually do well."

"Hey, he's getting better with the Eva too", Misato defended. 'Shit, now I did it' she thought.

"SURE, TAKE HIS SIDE", Asuka exploded, "JUST BECAUSE HE GOT LUCKY TODAY DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN THING!" She thrust herself from the table, grabbed her coat, and stormed out the front door.

"Misato", Shinji said irritably, "you just had to say something." "Can't you see it was bad enough", he snapped.

"Sorry", Misato exclaimed, "it just sorta slipped." They sat there quietly before Misato decided to ask about Shinji's earlier problem. "Shinji", she started, "do you like Asuka?"

"W-W-WHAT!" he exclaimed as his face became red. "Where'd you get an idea like that", he quickly replied, hoping Misato wouldn't notice his blush.

Unfortunately for Shinji, she did and pressed the subject. "Come on Shinji, you can tell me, you know I care about you", she reasoned.

Shinji sat there quietly for a moment before finally responding with a meek, "was it obvious?"

"Hell no", exclaimed a now excited Misato, "I was just taking a shot in the dark there."

"Oh", Shinji replied. "So how do you suggest I get her to forgive me", he mumbled.

"Go after her", Misato reasoned, "go tell her that your sorry you did better, but she has to accept the fact that your improving." "You know she only respects people who show a little backbone", Misato stated, pointing out the obvious.

"O-Okay", Shinji replied standing up. "I'll be back later", he yelled as he started out the front door. He quickly made his way out and began his search for Asuka.

"Whew", Misato said as she popped open a beer, "Shinji's got his work cut out for him if he wants to date Asuka." 'He's gonna need all the luck of the world…and maybe a first aid kit', she mused as she quickly downed the beer.

Elsewhere, an angry redhead wandered the streets of Tokyo-3 in an effort to cool off.

'It's not Shinji's fault' she thought to herself. 'Maybe I should apologize when I get back' she mused, 'after all, we finally had started getting along.' Asuka was so rapped up in her thoughts she didn't realize that a group of guys had started tailing her.

She did however notice them when she was suddenly shoved into an alley and quickly gagged.

"Well, well, well. Looks like we got a real beauty here boys", the makeshift leader said as he smirked.

"Yeah boss", one quickly replied, "we're gonna have a _good_ time with her, heh heh heh." "And she's a redhead no less, your favorite", another added in.

"You guys know me too well", the leader replied while grinning. Turning to Asuka, who was now bound with her arms behind her back and legs bound together he grinned. "Looks like today ain't your lucky day little missy, cause when we're done with you, you won't be able to walk, let alone see straight", he said.

Asuka quickly caught on once she noticed how the four guys were all leering at her. Each with a frightening expression on there faces. 'Great' Asuka thought to herself, 'now I'm in _real_ trouble.' She started to panic as she noticed them starting to advance towards her, none of them with a shred of pity in their eyes. Wriggling her mouth furiously she managed to get the cloth partially out of her way and cried a quick "HELP" before the back of the leader's hand silenced her.

"Well, well boys, it looks like we're gonna have to punish her for her little outbreak", he said while re-tying the gag.

'No' Asuka quietly thought to herself, 'not like this.'

As fate would have it though, a nearby Shinji had heard the cry for help and had started looking for the source. He started to pass an alley when he noticed four guys surrounding a familiar redhead, who now had her shirt ripped open and was frantically was trying to fight off one of the thugs trying to lower her pants.

Fire raced through Shinji's blood as he quickly realized what was going on. An unfamiliar rage filled his body until he was about to burst as he started running to the unsuspecting group.

"Now girly" the leader said with a smirk, "we have a little fun." He had just finished removing Asuka's pants as his hand started towards her panties. "Just one last thing", he said, looking straight into her eyes.

Asuka, now in tears, looked at her assailant and closed her eyes, silently thinking one thing, 'I wish Shinji were here.'

Suddenly a white blur caught her assailant in the side, sending him through the air only to crash into a garbage can.

A now enraged Shinji quickly caught the stunned lackeys in a fit of unbridled rage. He quickly caught one in the gut, following through with a right hook to the jaw. Shinji quickly turned and leapt at the next stooge. After knocking him to the ground Shinji quickly began to repeatedly pound the guy's face until the last of the lackeys tried to pull Shinji off.

Asuka, who was now curled up in a ball, watched as Shinji broke free of his assailant's grasp and quickly took him out with a quick thrust of his palm into the thug's nose. Asuka was now amazed at the change in the normally quiet, somewhat spineless boy she was always yelling at.

By this time the leader of the goons had started to get up and found his partners all unconscious, and one with a young boy on him, beating his face into a bloody pulp.

"Shinji!" sobbed Asuka, "That's enough, he's unconscious." Shinji, however, continued to punch the would-be rapist until Asuka finally pulled him off. Gripping him in an embrace an Eva couldn't break she began sobbing into his now bloody shirt. "Oh Shinji, I was so scared", she sobbed.

The now calm Shinji, gently rubbed Asuka's back while quietly whispering that it was all over and that she was okay.

The leader of the gang, now at the point of desperation pulled out a gun and quickly aimed it at the young girl. "Hey kid", he croaked out. "Looks like I get the last laugh", he stated as he fired.

Shinji, however, had reacted with incomparable speed and had spun himself in front of Asuka as two shots rang through the air.

A now present Kaji re-holstered his gun as he quickly ran to the two pilots.

Asuka breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed Kaji running towards them. She turned towards Shinji to inform him of there rescue when she noticed the shocked look on his face. As Shinji slumped to the ground Asuka finally noticed the growing red stain on Shinji's back and quickly screamed for help.

By this time Kaji had already called for a transport team and medic team and was desperately trying to pry a crying Asuka off a now unconscious Shinji.

Shinji slowly opened his eyes, a familiar white ceiling staring back at him. 'Heh', he thought to himself, 'NERV hospital, sick bay.' He shut his eyes again, but opened them when he realized someone was holding his hand. He turned his head to see a sleeping Asuka next to him. "Hey", he called out gently, "Asuka, wake up."

"Five more minutes Shinji", she groaned. Suddenly her eyes snapped open as she realized what she had said. "SHINJI!" she cried as she leapt to give him a hug.

"Oww, not so hard Asuka", he groaned.

She quickly backed off him with a blush on her face. "S-S-Sorry Shinji, I just couldn't help myself. You've been out for three days", she said catching his eyes. "And I've been worried sick about my Baka-Shinji."

"Oh, so I'm _your_ Shinji now?" he said with a laugh.

Quickly turning serious she looked at the ground. "Why'd you do it Shinji?" she muttered. "Why'd you risk your life for me? All I do is tease you, hit you, and call you names" she said as tears started to form in her eyes.

Reaching out and raising her face with his hand, Shinji caught her eyes and gently murmured, "Because I love you Asuka. I love you because you're you. You drive me to push myself to be my best, and when I saw someone threatened the person I care for the most, I snapped."

Asuka's eyes started to glisten as she quickly grabbed Shinji in an abrupt embrace, locking her lips to his in a quick kiss. "Oh, Shinji", she said silently, "I think I love you too. I've always relied on myself since my mother died, but I slowly began to care about you as we became friends." By this time tears were flowing freely down Asuka's cheeks.

Shinji, feeling Asuka start to back away quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her close again, whispering the words he knew she needed to hear. "I'll never leave you Asuka. You'll never be alone again, because I'll always be with you."

"Thank you" Asuka whispered, her fears alleviated. "And so long as I'm around Third Child, you'll always have someone who truly loves you" she stated, knowing that Shinji wanted nothing more than to have someone truly love him.

The two teens' lips met again, only to be pried apart by a very happy looking Misato. "Well it seems Shinji is doing better", she stated with a smirk.

"Better than I've ever been in my entire life", he said without taking his eyes off Asuka.

"That makes two of us", Asuka calmly replied returning his passionate gaze.


End file.
